The House of Windsor in 100 Facts

Steph Brown
Jul 15, 2018
11 min read

For the last century the House of Windsor has been the royal house of Great Britain. So far there has been four monarchs, three kings and one queen. This article gives you 100 facts about the monarchs and their consorts.

photos courtsey of Royal Collection Trust/ © Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 2017

The royal house name was change in 1917 from Saxe-Coburg-Gotha to Windsor due to anti-German feelings in Britain. As king at the time, George V is the first Windsor monarch.
George V was the second son of Edward VII and his wife Alexandra, therefore he was not expected to be king. His brother died in 1892.
Princess May of Teck was first engaged to Prince Albert Victor (Eddy), George's older brother. George and Mary married in 1894.
George began a career in the Navy in 1882 - as it was normal for the second son to to do so. His career ended in 1893 following the death of Prince Edddy.
The engagement of May and George was only two months long, they got engaged on May 3 and were married on July, 6 1893.
Together they had six children: Edward, Albert, Mary, Henry, George and John. Two of their sons would become king.
When George became king in 1910, his wife changed her name to the English sounding Queen Mary.
Due to a poor education George could not speak German and French, which was unusual for a British king.
George and Mary liked a simple life, one of his favourite past times was collecting stamps.
Another past of George's was shooting, to get the full use of the daylight he had all the clocks in the Sandingham estate set half and hour fast.
George and Tsar Nicholas II were ofen mistaken for each other due to similar appearances. Their mothers were sisters, George was also cousins with Nicholas' wife Alix who was Queen Victoria's favourite granddaughter.
In 1912, George and Mary began to modernise the royal family, they started by visiting a series of industrial regions - Mary even visited a miners cottage for a cup of tea.
In 1917, George introduced the Order of the British Empire award (OBE) which for the first time recognised ordinary people for their good work.
The first full-time press secretary at Buckingham Palace was hired in 1918.
George was a king who choose to represent his people rather than exert his influence in political and social issues.
Despite Conservative views and values, when the first Labour government was elected in 1924 under Ramsay MacDonald, no one could predicate the friendship that would form between the two men.
They got on so well the king refused the Prime Ministers resignation twice during the late 20's and early 30's.
It was not unusual to see George at sporting events, as he was a fan of cricket, football and tennis. He also loved horse racing, a passion he would share with his granddaughter, the future Elizabeth II.
In 1922, George sent a ship to resue he Greek royal family. Amongst those rescued was a one yar old prince, who would one day marry George's granddaughter. The prince was Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.
On Christmas day, 1932, George made the first annual Christmas message broadcast over the radio. A tradition that still happens to this day, except it is now done via the television.
George V died at the age of 70, just before midnight on January 20, 1936. It is believed that an injection of drugs killed the king so his death could be reported by a middle-class newspaper not a working-class newspaper.
George's wife, Queen Mary lived long enough to see Elizabeth succeed the throne. Due to failing health Mary died on March 24, 1952 as the coronation drew closer. It is believed that Elizabeth visited her grandmother and wore the crown so the queen could see her granddaughter wear it.
Mary insisted that the court did not go into a period of mourning following her death - which would normally happen. She did not want to ruin her granddaughter's coronation and the joyous occasion of the event.

Edward Albert Christian George Andrew Patrick David (Edward VIII) was the oldest son of George V and Mary. However he was called David within the royal family.
During the first world war, Edward, as the Prince of Wales maked many visits to the front line. As heir to the throne he was forbidden to serve in the army.
While having an affair with the married Lady Furness he met American divorcée Mrs Wallis Simpson, the woman he would give up the crown for.
Edward and Wallis met at a house party thrown by Lady Furness at her country home in 1931.
In 1936, Edward VIII survived an assassination attempt by alone gunman who fired at him. He was admired for his skill of keeping calm and keeping his horse under control.
Edward is the first royal to get a pilot license. He founded the 32 Royal Squadron which is used for royal flights in official engagements.
Edward's affair withWallis was reported in American and European newspapers. But not in the British newspapers. They respected the privacy of the royal family an as a form of self-censorship they did not report on the affair. But those in social circles close to the royals knew of the affair.
The first time the affair was mentioned in the Brish press was on Deceember 2, 1936. At this time Edward was battling politicians about marrying Wallis.
The Royal Marriages Act of 1772, meant that Edward could marry whoever he wanted as long as they were not a Roman Catholic - which Wallis was not. Legally nothing was stopping them getting married - she had her second divorce granted.
Prime Minister Stantley Baldwin said that the public opnion was against a divorced woman as queen, however due to economic climate of the 30's many people liked the idea of a queen who was not of a rich and privileged upbringing.
Many people have vilified Wallis as a woman who was scheming to have the crown. However, she offered to leave Edward and Britain so Edward could remain on the throne. She was also willing to just remain his mistress.
A plan of a morganatic marriage was put forward, this meant that Wallis would be his wife, but not queen, instead she would be styled as the "Duchess of Cornwall"
In newsreels the crisis of Edward and Wallis plans to marry was portrayed as a love story not a crisis.
On December 10, 1936, the Instrument of Abdication was signed, Edward named his brother the Duke of York as his successor. Edward's three surviving brothers had acted as witnesses to the signing. His youngest brother John had died in 1917.
Through a radio broadcast on December 11, the public learned of Edward VIII abdicating the throne in order to marry Wallis. She was in France at the time of the broadcast.
After being married the couple were styled as the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, during the second world war they were sent to the Bahamas where Edward had the position as Governor-General.
After the war the couple lived in excile in France. Edward made rare visits to Britian. The couple were married for 35 years before Edward passed away in 1972 aged 77.

George VI was born Albert Frederick Arthur George on December 14, 1895. He was nicknamed Bertie within the royal faily.
George developed a stammer at the age of 8, this haunted him for the rest of his life.
George served as a midshipman during the Battle of Jutland during the first wolrd war.
George proposed to Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyons in 1921 and 1922, she refused both times. With pressure from Queen Mary and her mother, she consented to marry George.
George and Elizabeth's wedding was the first royal wedding recorded on film. Newsreels showed the wedding on the evening of April 23, 1923, this even showed the happy couple, king and queen on the balcony at Buckingham Palace.
He was a good athlete, especially at tennis.
George was the first to learn to fly, however Edward got his license first.
George was the first royal in modern times to marry a commoner.
In October, 1926, George went to Lionel Rogue a speech therapist to combat his stammer. It came after he gave a humiliating closing speech a the British Empire Exhibition in 1925.
George and Elizabeth had two daughters. Elizabeth and Margaret. Elizbeth was advised to have no more children due to complication with Margaret's birth. George affectionately called his family "we four" and said of his daughter: "Elizabeth is my pride, and Margaret is my joy"
When George, Elizabeth and the two princesses moved into Buckingham Palace, George had his daughters rocking horse put outside his study so he could hear them play as he worked.
Knowing his daughter Elizabeth will one day be queen, George had a book created about his coronation for his daughter, he then went through the book with her.
Following the outbreak of war, George refused to wear anything except his military uniform.
When rationing came into force in Britain , George insisted that the palace must also follow the rationing rules. Food in the palace was served on gold and silver plates.
George himself painted lines in all the bahts in Buckingham Palace to show how much hot water should be used.
Buckingham Palace was bomded nine times in five years. On September, 13 1940 the palace was bombed as the king and queen had tea. Luckily no one was killed.
Following the bombing Queen Elizabeth famously said "I am glad we have been bombed. It makes me feel like I can look the East End in the face" It earned the roayls repect of the people of Britain, the king and queen were suffereing the same way they were.
The Ministry of Information allowed 40 reporters access to the bombed palace, newsreels showed the full extent of the damage the palce got.
At the height of war, news stories featuring the royal family increased from 23% of news content to 80%.
When visiting bomb sites, George would climb over the rubble in order to talk to people who's homes had been destroyed.
The king and queen often went to factories, workshops, coal mines and docks. He would surprise mangagers and workers with his knowledge of the technical details.
On one of his visits he learned that there was a shortage of parts for anti-tank guns, George had a lathe installed at Windsor Castle which he worked on during the weekends.
During blackouts, George would step outside the palace he found himself at to ensure no light was escaping from the windows.
There were many rumours and fears of a German kidnapping against the king, George took revolver practice in the grounds of Buckingham Palace. He also carried a pistol with him wherever he went.
George insisted on decorating all ranks of fighting forces with medals whenever he could.
The George Cross and George Medal were created during the war to award bravery amongst soldiers and civilians.
In 1943, George travelled to North Africa on 6,700 miles tour. He was well received by soldirs who lined the roads to cheer as he passed. George often stopped his car to talk to the man, he also ate at crowded cafes.
On the buld up to the D-Day landings in 1944, Prime Minister Winston Churchill watned to accompany the forces . The king had to threaten Churchill saying he would personally drive to the port and stop Churchill from embarking, Churchill lisened to the king.
George VI was the last last king-emperor of India.

Elizabeth Alexandra Mary was born on April 21, 1926. She was not expected to be queen as her uncle was heir to the throne.
To close family, she was named "Lilibet". It was the result of her early attempts to say her own names. She still uses the nickname to this day to sign cards to family members.
The summer of 1939 was the first known case of Elizabeth meeting future husband Prince Philip of Greee, they met at Britannia Royal Naval College at Dartmouth.
During the war, Elizabeth and Margaret collected scrap metal, had an allotment to harest fruit and vegatbles and make donations to the Red Cross from their pocket money.
Elizabeth tried to knit items of clothing for soldiers, she only managed to knit socks.
At the age of 14, Elizabehth made her first radio broadcast for the Children's Hour program, it was aimed at the children who had been evacuated. This, as well as her broadcast for her 21st birthday, is her most memorable broadcast of her long life.
Elizabeth's first official occasion was on her 16th birthday, as the new colonel he inspected the Grenadier Guards.
In 1945, Elizabeth joined the Auxiliary Territorial Service, she reached the rank of Seond Subaltern (Lieutenant). She worked as a driver and is the only head of state who can change a spark plug.
On VE Day, Elizabeth was dressed in her uniform as she joinedher parents, sister and Winston Churchill on the balcony of Buckingham Palace.
Elizabeth and Margaret convinced the king to allow them to go out onto the streets to join in on the celebrations.
On VJ Day, Elizabeth wore a summer dress as she stood on the balcony with her family, this time she filmed the scene with a moive camera.
Elizabeth is the only female member of the royal family to have served in the army.
Philip propsed to Elizbeth in Autumn 1946, at Balmoral. Their engagement was not announced until 1947, after Elizabeth turned 21.
Elizabeth and Philip's wedding was originally planned to be low key, but during to the post war years. The public interest in the wedding made it a national event. Since food rationing was still happening, everyone able to get an extra pound of sugar and four ounces of margarine or cooking fat.
As a present from the governemt, Elizabeth received 100 extra clothing coupons. Her bridesmaids received 26 extra coupons.
On the morning of ther wedding, Elizabeth's tiara snapped and her bouquet went missing. Apart from that the wedding faced no more issues.
Prince Philip areed to give to give up smoking as a wedding present to his wife-to-be.
Elizabeth is the first reingning monarch to celebrate her Diamond wedding anniversary.
It was Prince Philip who broke the news to Elizabeth that her father had died and that she was queen.
The coronation of Elizabeth II was first televised. It was watched on 3 million televisioson sets, around 27 million watched the coronation, this accounted for 4/5 of the population in Britan.
People overseas could only listen to the coronation on the radio, or wait until the evening where cinemas showed to the event, it was narrated by actress Anna Neagle.
Elizabeth was the youngest Windsor monarch to succeed the throne. She was 27. George VI was 40. Edward VIII was 41. George V was 44.
Upon the birth of of Prince Andrew in 1960, Elizabeth became the first reigning sovereign to have a child since Queen Victoria gave birth in 1857.
Elizabeth and Philip are the first members of the royal family to fly over the Atlantic, they were on their way to Canda.
It is not unusual to see Elizabeth with a camera in her hands. She loves taking family photos.
The queen sent her first email in 1976.
The Elizabeth Cross was introduced in 2009. This is given to the next of kin of people killed on military operations or as an act of terriorism.
As of 2013, the order of succession is now decided by order of birth. Meaning no daughters can be pushed down the line of succession by any younger brothers.
On September 9, 2015. Elizabeth celebrated becoming Britain's longest reigning monarch by opening the Borders Railway in Tweedbank, and had a meal at Balmoral with family members.
Elizabeth is the only British monarch to celebrate a sapphire jubilee, she has been on the throne for 65 years.
After Elizabeth's death, the next three monarchs will be kings, although a monarch chooses their name when the are on the throne it is expected that Charles will be Charles III, William will be William V and George will be VII